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Talking things through

One of the best ways to thing through decisions is to talk things through. It might sound simple but it can be powerful. Especially if you talk to someone that knows you well or to someone that knows more than you about the decision you are making.

Think about it:

It will force you to talk about a decision you may be avoiding.

It’s almost certainly going to get you thinking about new information you failed to consider.

You’ll definitely gain new perspective on the things, ideally from someone much more knowledgeable than you.

The more proactively you think about the issues before, the more likely you’ll come up with something insightful.

Sometimes, the person across the table might be the smartest person you know, but the real benefit still doesn’t even come from hearing them. Instead it comes from talking with them, telling them about your decision, confiding in them and seeing how they think about the problem.

Because in the end, there’s usually not a single answer to the question. So the smartest people aren’t racing to find the one and only-one right answer. Instead they have the courage to admit what they don’t know, understand that their mentors or colleagues might not know it either, but that they can help them look at the landscape of choices and think about the options ahead.

So the next time you’re deciding about career options, graduate school, or anything else, try talking things through.

You’ll be surprised at what you can come up with.

Tags: Management